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October 26, 2016

Diabetic Shock – Part 1

Diabetic shock, or severe hypoglycemia,
is a serious health risk for anyone with diabetes. Also called
insulin reaction, because of too much insulin, it can occur anytime
there is an imbalance between the insulin in your system, the amount
of food you eat, or your level of physical activity. It can even
happen while you are doing all you think you can do to manage your
diabetes.

The symptoms of diabetic shock may seem
mild at first. But they should not be ignored. If it isn't treated
quickly, hypoglycemia can become a very serious condition that causes
you to faint, requiring immediate medical attention. Diabetic shock
can also lead to a coma and death. It's important that not only you,
but also your family and others around you, learn to recognize the
signs of hypoglycemia and know what to do about them. It could save
your life.

What Is Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is a low level of blood
sugar. The cells in your body use sugar from carbohydrates for
energy. Insulin, which normally is made in the pancreas, is necessary
for sugar to enter the cells. It helps keep the levels of sugar in
the blood from getting too high.

It's important to maintain the proper
level of sugar in your blood. Levels that are too high can cause
severe dehydration, which can be life threatening. Over time, excess
sugar in the body does serious damage to organs such as your heart,
eyes, and nervous system.

Ordinarily, the production of insulin
is regulated inside your body so that you naturally have the amount
of insulin you need to help control the level of sugar. But if your
body doesn't make its own insulin or if it can't effectively use the
insulin it does produce, you need to inject insulin as a medicine or
take another medication that will increase the amount of insulin your
body does make. So, if you need to medicate with insulin, it becomes
your responsibility to see that you have the amount of insulin you
need when you need it.

When to take insulin or another
medication and how much to use depends on when, what, and how much
food you eat. It also depends on your level of physical activity
since the cells in your body use more sugar when you are active.
Hypoglycemia is basically a reaction to too much insulin in your
system. The insulin speeds up the lowering of the blood glucose
level. Then without eating or with your body burning sugar faster
because of physical activity, the level of sugar becomes dangerously
low.

What Causes Hypoglycemia?

Several things can cause hypoglycemia.
Your blood sugar level could be low if you:

Become more physically active than
usual

Miss a meal

Change when or how much you
normally eat

Take your insulin or medication at
a different time than usual

Drink alcohol excessively without
eating

Are There Symptoms
of Hypoglycemia or Warning Signs of Diabetic Shock?

The symptoms of hypoglycemia can be
classified as mild or early, moderate, and severe. Mild symptoms
include:

Dizziness

Irritability

Moodiness or sudden changes in
behavior

Hunger

Shakiness

Sweating

Rapid heart beat

Moderate symptoms include:

Confusion

Headache

Poor coordination

When hypoglycemia becomes severe,
symptoms include:

Fainting and unconsciousness

Seizures

Coma

Hypoglycemia can also occur overnight
while you sleep. Symptoms include:

Crying out in your sleep

Nightmares

Damp pajamas or sheets resulting
from perspiration

Waking tired, irritable, or
confused

If you experience any possible signs of
hypoglycemia, it's important to check your blood sugar to make sure
it isn't low. If it is, you should treat it quickly or seek emergency
care. If you can't check your blood sugar level for some reason, you
should go ahead and treat yourself for low blood sugar if you notice
symptoms or seek emergency care. If symptoms are moderate, severe, or
you are unable to help yourself, seek emergency medical attention.

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About Me

I am enjoying life, despite diabetes type 2. I am retired and enjoying the time I have for writing and photography. I was diagnosed with type 2 on Oct 2003, on oral meds for 4 months and they were doing nothing to really improve my daily readings. By cutting my carbohydrates I received the most improvement, but still not enough. Then I requested insulin, even though I did not like the thought of needles. That brought about the biggest change and A1c's in the lower 6's and upper 5's. Now I am working at maintaining them under 6.0 and hopefully nearer 5.5.